A Kiss for my Heart
by Frenchtosser
Summary: How did Mary Poppins know Bert before? And who exactly is Uncle Albert? Based of the novel and movie of Mary Poppins.


**A Kiss for my Heart. **

BY: Frenchtosser.

Dissclaimer- I own none of these characters. And I'm glad I don't seeing that I would have just muddled the whole thing.

A/N: I just read the book Mary Poppins and loved it, but I really would like to know how Mary and Bert knew each other before, so I thought up this. Hope you like it. Please review.

* * *

Mr. Albert Wigg was a sullen man, never inclined to laughter or anything of that sort. He lived in East London, in what used to be the old orphanage. You see, Mr. Wigg was inclined to fancy, and when his fancy fell upon the old Victorian cheepside orphanage he decided he must have it as his own home. No matter, that he already had a perfectly adequate house in West London, or that there were more than 3 dozen children currently occupying the old run down orphanage, Mr. Wigg thought only of his own selfish spontaneous whim. And so he bought it. 

It was at this time in the late 1880's Mary Poppins, had been the temporary head of the orphanage known as Fair View. At least, she was to be the head until the wind changed. None-the-less, the purchasing of the orphanage greatly distressed her, for it meant that the children in the orphanage had no where to go. She went to the head of the department of children's welfare, but he had only argued that Mr. Wigg's price couldn't be refused. She went then to the board of orphans, and they argued that the children should be split up and put in foster homes, and other select orphanages in the area. And against her wishes, one by one the children were dispersed into other worse and lowly dwellings surrounding the area, that is all the children but one. A young Mr. Herbert Alfred, a scrawny little fellow with dark thick black hair, and piercing blue eyes. He alone had been overlooked.

Of course, Mary Poppins, who was feeling very put out because she had never failed so utterly in any endeavor took it upon herself as a duty of honour to find the little child a suitable home. And where else to set him up, but in his familiar orphanage with the cold and selfish Mr. Albert Wigg. And so the tedious task began….

* * *

April 14th 1889. 

Mary Poppins gripped young Herbert Alfred's hand tightly under her umbrella as the stood on the doorstep to Fair View house (what had been orphanage). Both feeling rather silly at having to ring the bell at a place they had lived in themselves for a time. "Herbert don't slouch."

"My name's Bert, Miss. Poppins." Bert said politely, though rather hoping that this time the message would stick. She looked down at him on the step, with a wry smile just barley playing at her lips. Though behind it Bert couldn't help but see that she looked rather sad.

"And my name is Mary, Bert, Mary Poppins." Bert gapped, he had never known, Miss Poppins to be so uncommonly kind. Suddenly he grew deathly afraid that something dreadful was about to happen. But before he could ask, the great oak door creaked open heavily. Behind it stood a tall robust man, with a shinny egg like head, and large owlish spectacles. Bert clenched on tighter to Mary's hand instinctively and hovered closer to her skirts.

"Oh its you is it? Come to bother me some more, have you? Well, its too late now, I've bought it, so you can just- oh what's this," Said the robust man catching a glimpse of Bert, "Brought one of the orphaned brats with you, couldn't find him a home, well you'll get no pity or charity from me! I bought it fair enough, I can't help it, it was full of parentless brats! They've no business being orphans anyway, wanting everybody's sympathy, pooh!"

"Are you quite finished?" Mary Poppins said completely unaffected. The man on the threshold, looked seriously baffled, as if he was trying to recall what it was he had just been saying. "Well while your thinking it over, perhaps you'd have the courtesy to let us come in, it would be very gracious of you indeed, if after chucking us out you let us catch a cold in your doorway." Mr. Wigg looking somewhat ashamed, (but still very baffled) opened the door wide for Mary Poppins and little Bert Alfred.

Mary Poppins brisk fully stepped in and immediately proceeded to remove her coat, hat, and umbrella, proceeded, by removing Bert's coat and hat.

"Here now, your not staying," "Well you did let us in, didn't you?"

"Well yes, but-"

"Then it's a perfectly logically conclusion that were staying."

"But"  
"Besides, we can't stand inside in our coats and hats, my mother always taught me that it was very rude, indeed." Mary Poppin said while working on Bert's last button. Bert quickly whispered in her ear.

"Its alright Mary, I don't mind going." Mary Poppins looked up at the little boy in front of her, and her eyes warmed. There wasn't fear for himself in his eyes, but rather a protecting sort of fear for her. Mary Poppins paused what she was doing and grasped his shoulders.

"Don't worry, Bert, Worrying never solves anything, only doing can help." There eyes stayed locked for a moment more, and then Mary Poppins reluctantly straightened herself and faced Mr. Albert Wigg.

"Are English Mr. Wigg?" Mary asked suddenly.

"What? What a preposterous question, of course I'm English. I served 10 years in the royal navy!"

"Oh, but you don't drink tea?" Mary Poppins said offhand, raising her eyebrows and looking around.

"Of course, I drink tea, what are you on about?"

"Really, how odd, considering its four o'clock now, and it appears that you aren't partaking in afternoon tea." There was a long awkward pause, and then Mr. Wigg shouted.

"Well I would be having tea if you hadn't come knocking on my door!"

"Oh, lovely, I'm so glad, shall we?"

"-what?" Mr. Wigg asked in dismay, his arms still raised in frozen fury.

"Tea…you said you'd be drinking it now, well we shan't keep you from it, in fact well join you, we don't mind do we Bert?" Bert shook his head in wonder. To him Mary Poppins seemed to be a living goddess, full of mysteries. Mary Poppins smiled brightly at the child and patted his head, as if she could read his mind.

"Miss Poppins, you've tried to trick me for the last time, kindly remove yourself from my house," and he pointed at the door.

"You do like to get rid of people, is that why you have no house keeper, and do kindly lower your voice, we are not hooligans."

"I-Miss. Baker is ill…"

"No doubt she is not used to east sides weather yet, oh well, would it be to much then to show us where to hang our coats they are dripping all over the hall."

"Oh yes-uh in the closet- wait, don't you know, you lived here yourself after all."

"Never assume things, where do you hold tea?"

"Through there." Mr. Wigg pointed to a door behind Miss Poppins. After she had hung up her and Bert's coat she took his hand and led him through into the indicated room. Mr. Wigg shortly followed.

"You can only stay for tea," he said grumpily. Taking a seat at the table. Mary Poppins and Bert also took there seats.

"Oh, Mr. Wigg, aren't you forgetting, we don't have any dishes or civil ware?" Mr. Wigg looked livid for a moment, but just for a moment, then grudgingly he pushed himself up from the table and fetched the civil ware , and appropriate dishes, he even brought back with him and extra bunt cake. Slinging it on the table, he said grumpily,

"Satisfied, milady?"

"Quite, so, thank you."

'No problem." And with that he flopped himself back in his chair.

"So- what brings this happy visit?" Mr. Wigg inquired.

"Why, Herbert Alfred here of course, your going to adopt him." At these words there was an instant uproar among the other two parties.

"Adopt me! Oh no please Mary Poppins!"

"Adopt him! If I've ever heard anything more absurd its been-"

"I want to stay with you Miss Poppins, please!"

"I wouldn't take a child, especially an orphan child for all the kings-"

"Don't send me away- don't send me to him!"

"ENOUGH!" Mary Poppins shouted above them both. The noise stopped instantly, and behind it was the astonished face of Mr. Wigg, and the weeping face of Bert. "Bert, don't cry, dry your eyes. Now listen to me Bert, you've got to give people a chance, no matter how horrible they may seem at first, there is good in them. You'll be happy here Bert, its been your home all your life, and you'll have no one else to contend with over food or blankets now."

"But I want to stay with you, Mary Poppins." Bert implored, whipping his eyes on his sleeves, and looking up at Mary desperately.

"I have to go away, the wind's changed, and I've already stayed to long. Now drink your tea and be a good boy."

"Here now, I can't keep the boy, I-"

"Mr. Wigg, it's the only thing you could possibly do to remedy what you've already done here. Besides you need him as much as he needs you." "But I don't even know how to look after a boy!"

"Hmm, do you know any jokes?"

"Jokes! No of course not I haven't time for that sort of philandering."

"Well that is a problem."

"Bert, tell him a joke, tell him the one about the leg." Bert's face suddenly lit up, despite the dreary future prospects. He loved a good joke, and this was his favorite. Besides, he had been called upon by Mary Poppins.

"One gent says to another, he says, I know a man with a wooden leg named smith. And the other gent says what's the name of his other leg?" There was a long pause in which Mr. Wigg simply stared unsmiling at Bert in which Bert and even Mary Poppins became seriously concerned. Then suddenly, ever so slightly the corner of his lips turned up, and then he started to shake, and then lift up in his seat. And then he was laughing, roaring laughter. Bert smiled too, relieved and pleased, even Mary Poppin smiled brightly. But Mr. Albert Wigg kept laughing and kept laughing, until he lifted right out of his seat and into the air. He floated over to Bert and shaking his hand said,

"Welcome to the family son." And the two roared with laughter again and again. Then Bert lifted in the air as well and they were laughing hysterically together among the beams of the ceiling. Mary Poppins waited patiently at the bottom for a while, but when they didn't come down, she impatiently flew up herself.

"Bert," She said seriously to him, when she reached him, "Bert, I'm going now," Bert and Mr. Wiggs face suddenly changed, and they both crashed to the floor. Mary Poppins coming down slowly behind them.

"Oh no, don't go Mary Poppins, stay here with us!" Bert begged, holding onto her skirts.

"Yes you must stay Mary Poppins, you've been so kind to me, it's the least I can do." Mr. Wigg said who seemed to have had a complete change of heart. Mary Poppin smiled at him kindly but sadly and shook her head.

"Uncle Albert, that's what well call you. It fits I think," Then she leaned down to Bert again.

"Bert, I can't stay, but I want you to remember always to be cheerful and laugh. And above all else follow your heart and dreams."

"But Mary Poppins, your in my heart and dreams!" Bert said earnestly, if not a little shyly. Mary Poppins stared at him for a second, her mind and heart momentarily muddled. No one had ever said that to her before. Then suddenly she did something she never did, to any of the children she had looked after, she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

"Then I'm sure we'll meet again." Mary Poppins said finally and with that she turned and left Fair View Orphanage, not for the last time.


End file.
